Purple Ones & Battered Bastards of Baseball

Good Afternoon Ladies & Gentlemen,

 

Wednesday night, I watched another of the ESPN 30 for 30 series called “Battered Bastards of Baseball” which is about the short-lived independent baseball team The Portland Mavericks in the 1970’s. Now, stay with me… because this is going to sound like a horrible movie idea, but it really happened. Bing Russell (actor & father of movie icon Kurt Russell) was a batboy for the New York Yankees back in the heyday… and later he played a little ball… and then he went on to become a very respectable actor in Hollywood Westerns & starred as the sheriff on “Bonanza” for its full 13-year run… but baseball was always his love. He made instructional videos starring his young son Kurt& just had a burning passion for the sport. Well, after retiring, he wanted to start a minor league team… only he didn’t want to play by Major League Baseball’s rules because… frankly they were a monopoly & he didn’t need all that mess. The MLB’s AAA team had just moved out of Portland, Oregon… so Bing came in & started his own independent single A team, the Portland Mavericks. Since everything was funded by him… and he didn’t have the support of MLB, he basically just had open tryouts posted in the Sporting News… and people came from across the country to try out for a professional team… and what happened was a motley crew of 70’s stereotypes even better than you can imagine. During their short run, they also had the first female general manager for ANY sport, first Asian-American manager for ANY American sport… and really brought baseball & a sense of entertainment to the sport back to Portland… but the real question was, would they be any good? Well… yeah… but if you’re any kind of a fan of baseball, sports movies, or even just stories about crazy cats making the most of what they can & achieving their dreams… then by all means check this movie out. I absolutely loved it… and am honestly waiting for the sports comedy to be made about it with Kurt Russell playing his dad forty years ago. I’d watch that too.

 

Thursday night, Izzy & I went to the 2^nd annual installment of “Hops & History” which was an Unlimited Beer tasting at The Old Mint Building here in downtown San Francisco. At this event, they had special guests speakers from many of the big name local breweries such as Anchor, 21^st Amendment, Magnolia, etc. We got to meet Jim Stitts & Dave Burkhart with Anchor, who are iconic in the realm of craft beer labeling… and with Izzy as an art geek & me doodling in similar things, it was great to hear how they made some of the most popular labels in the world. Great guys too! There was also some great memorabilia from San Francisco’s beer brewing past, artwork up in the galleries… and of course free beer swag like coasters, pins, stickers & all the finest ales & lagers that you could drink on tap for your commemorative souvenir four-ounce mug. This is a fund raiser to help turn the Old Mint Building into a history museum specifically about the city of San Francisco someday… but in the meantime, it’s a great venue for a few hundred beer nerds to show up & try some great beer. If you want to try this next year, book tickets early & bring a designated driver. Here are some pictures…

 

Saturday morning, we started up our 2^nd batch of ChocoNut Stout. Why? Well, first off, the mark of a great brewer is consistently executing a superior product (great beer)… so we wanted to make sure it wasn’t just blind luck that we made such a fabulous beer the first time & rest on our laurels. Secondly, well… it was just so damn good the first time when we kegged it that we wanted to make another batch even though this round will eventually be bottled (kegs will be spoken for soon enough). Third & most importantly, we wanted to make more to enter into a few competitions & share with others. Also, we had some leftover ingredients to use (coconut extract & cocoa powder) so that saves a few bucks there… which is always nice when you can’t sell your beer. We also transferred our Cali Common... here are some pictures...

 

Saturday night, after pregaming at Jamber (try their buffalo-cheddar chickpea nachos, no joke) we met up with Jackie D & Bubbles to go to a “30^th Anniversary of Purple Rain” celebration featuring The Purple Ones (Prince Tribute Band). It worked out perfectly as Bubbles’ birthday was earlier in the week… and she LOVES Purple Rain… so yeah, that was my present to her. The concert was at Slim's (a nice intimate venue) and the opening acts were Phone Sex Operators (pretty damn good in my opinion), the Goldenhearts (seemed a li'l out of place) & then the Purple Ones... who rocked the house Prince-style... hella good time!!!

 

Anyway, that's a quick summary of the weekend... but more awesome stuff coming next week too. Have a great weekend everybody!!!

The Most Interesting Athlete in the World

Good Afternoon Ladies & Gentlemen,

 

Wednesday night, I watched “Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer” starring Michael Rooker on Netflix. I had this sitting in my disc queue for a while as I had heard it mentioned a few times before as kind of an underground slasher flick. So, here’s the story that I gathered. The movie was shot in Chicago in 1986 on a budget of like… $100,000. However, the movie was considered so dark & violent & graphic at the time… that it took almost three years of appeals to make it releasable to the public after its initial screenings at some festivals. The story is based on the confessions of serial killer Henry Lee Lucas (Rooker) and is directed by John McNaughton (also directed the legendary “Wild Things” & another movie I’ve been interested in checking out called “Mad Dog & Glory”). The plot is that there’s this guy Henry who becomes a roommate with an ex-con part-time gas station attendant named Otis & his sister Becky. They’ve all fallen on hard times, but make ends meet somehow (usually selling drugs) but Otis soon finds out that Henry… has a dark side. Sure, he knew before that he killed his mama & that’s why he was in jail… but apparently… it’s even darker. Henry kills… almost randomly… and never the same way twice… basically just for the thrill. Well, Otis is intrigued… and gets off on the rush of his first kill… and the movie goes from there. The movie is… basically just a cold, exact, calculated telling of Henry’s killings with no real need for reasoning as to why he does it. He just enjoys doing it… and even has a bit of a code… or does he? It’s actually done fairly well if you’re into creepy stories with seedy underbellies… you know, as opposed to stories with morality conflicts& happy endings. Even the awkward soundtrack that’s a mix of slow score, coupled with some synthesizers… and inserting some screams of terror or something along with it… really helps to create that atmosphere of just awkward observation, but with a little glimpse into the twisted mind of a serial killer. Michael Rooker (aka Merle from “Walking Dead”) acts the sh*t out of this… and yeah, I really liked it… but it’s definitely not for everyone. Watch with caution. Also, as far as the violence… yeah, it’s bloody & there are a LOT of slow establishing shots of murder scenes… but if you’ve seen any horror movies in the past 20 years, it’s nothing compared to those.

 

Thursday night, I watched a movie from last year called “Phantom” starring Ed Harris, David Duchovny, William Fichtner, Lance Henriksen (briefly) & Sean Patrick Flanery and written-directed by Todd Robinson (“White Squall” & “Lonely Hearts”). The movie is “inspired” by true events… but not really sure how much of it is real… but whatever. In the late 60’s, an epileptic Cold War Soviet submarine captain (Harris) is sent on a top secret mission on a moment’s notice. Along with his crew, there are a few extra “specialists” (led by Duchovny) who are testing a cloaking device known as “The Phantom” (title). Well, once they get out there… the specialists turn out to be KGB… and they take over the submarine, complete with a nuclear payload, and head towards the U.S. Naval Base at Midway to start WWIII… unless the captain and his crew can regain control of the submarine… and not die in the process. If you’re a big fan of “Hunt for Red October” or “U-571” or any of those kind of movies, then you’ll probably love this. Ed Harris gives an amazing performance as he’s prone to do. I like that they’re supposed to be Russian, but they all have the standard American accents, which is good… because I’m sure they’d all be awful to listen to. I love that David Duchovny is my elder doppleganger (hope to look like that in 20 years when I’m 53 as well) but… you know his acting style is… very muted. You’ve seen the X-Files and/or Californication. He delivers lines almost monotonically… with occasional yelling, but always maintaining the stoic face and immediately returning to almost utter boredom. Perhaps that’s his secret to eternal youth & banging cocktail waitresses… but aside from that, not the greatest actor in the world. Sorry, Filly! Overall though, the movie was decent… not great or anything… but like I said, if you like that kind of movie, check it out. If not, you’ll probably pass.

 
 

The Real Life Most Interesting Man in the World – So… I was watching the Today Show this morning… and I’ll be damned if I didn’t see a story that was just ridiculously awesome to me. Did you know there’s a 55 year old Olympian in these Olympics? His sixth? Oh… it’s more than just that too. His name is Hubertus von Hohenlohe-Langenburg… excuse me, PRINCE Hubertus von Hohenlohe-Langenburg… and he’s obviously skiing for Mexico. Obviously, right? Because he is… skiing… for the country of Mexico… in these Winter Olympics. Fact. More facts that you might find interesting (and possible straight out of a future Dos Equis commercial):

 

·         Born in Mexico City in 1959 (dual citizenship)

·         He’s a descendant of German royalty (hence the Prince)

·         Heir to a Volkswagen fortune

·         German pop singer under names Andy Himalaya and Royal Disaster

·         Gallery-level photographer & artist

·         Businessman

·         Six-time Olympic Alpine skier (1984, 1988, 1992, 1994, 2010 & 2014)

·         Flag-bearer for the country of Mexico

·         Wore a Mariachi-inspired outfit during his latest run (previously Goucho)

·         Currently resides in Liechtenstein

·         Speaks five languages fluently

 

Anyway, check out a few interviews with this guy… I think he’s on Piers Morgan soon & he’s been running the gamut the past few days. I’m just saying… he seems like he’s going to be okay when he decides to retire from skiing. Now he’ll have more free time to take pictures, bang 20-year old model-actresses, pick up another language (Swahili?) and release a few albums before living the quiet life. What? Ladies… he’s single… and here’s another article about the guy that takes a little different turn courtesy of the great writers at Grantland.

 

Anyway, that should do it for this entry. I should definitely have some more stories to share after this weekend… which includes a trip to Sacramento & beyond. Have a great weekend everybody!!!

The Artist Formerly Known As $teve

Good Afternoon Ladies & Gentlemen,

First off, I wanted to wish happy birthdays to Mrs Wingman yesterday & Filly back on Sunday. They are amazing friends and I’m glad that they’re having wonderful birthday weeks. Wish I was there with you guys…though that’d be tough to do at the same time living in separate states. Still. So, the date was last night…and oddly enough, we met up at a microbrewery in Reno (like the one Saturday) but this was a different girl. We had a few beers (no dinner which was questionable) and chatted for over two hours just getting to know each other and having a good time. Although… I hate to say it, the eye contact thing came up again. A lot of wandering eyes…and she did mention that she recognized a few people stopping by the restaurant from her previous job, so maybe that had a lot to do with it but…yeah, I’m horrible at reading women. Period. Anyway, the date started & ended with a hug, so very casual and light…and hopefully she’ll want to meet up again. We shall see. I know, it’s a boring ass story about a seemingly lame date…but hey, it is what it is (specifically written for JL Clyde because I know she hates that phrase). So yeah, after that, went home, found out there’s going to be a Game 7 in the NBA Finals tomorrow night, soccer’s boring as all hell, sun rose this morning. World keeps spinning…

Monday night, I watched “Up in the Air” starring George Clooney. Why? Because it was nominated for a few awards…and Clooney usually does pretty good work. It’s the story of a man (Clooney) whose job is to go around the country…and fire people, because their bosses don’t want to deal with the confrontation & reactions. As you can probably guess in this economic climate, business is a-boomin’ and he’s been doing this for a while…so he’s racking up some MAJOR airline & hotel mileage points…but basically has no family connections or home (can’t really blame him, cuz home base is in Omaha). Well, during his travels, he meets a woman of similar age, attractiveness & lifestyle…and they hit it off. Also, his business is restructuring…by doing firings via webcams now, which means he’s soon out of a job. His boss (Jason Bateman) sets him up with a young woman who is the main force behind this movement, so that they can collaborate and make sure this goes as smoothly as possible (because there’s obviously a certain human & personal aspect to getting sh*t-canned). Anyway, that’s the story…and I don’t want to give away the ending (though I totally called it) but I would highly recommend checking it out. It’s funny…but not like “Hangover” funny. It has its moments of dry humor…and is kind of a heartfelt film that I kinda personified with a bit. See, as you know, I travel a lot…and especially the past few years, I’ve been moving around a lot…and away from the family. Sure it’s great to see all these wonderful things and have no experiences…but as you’ve often heard me say, it’s not what you do but who you do it with. It’s quite an odd feeling to have spent the day walking through a beautiful city, strolling on a beach, checking out museums of fine art, eating seafood, wandering around under the streetlights, having a drink at a bar, listening to a live funk band, going back to a king sized bed in a five-star hotel…and then realizing that you did it all by yourself. A weird mix of wonderment and loneliness all at the same time. Would I be able to do a job like the one portrayed in this movie? Oh yeah…but only because I’d be so distracted by my work and hectic schedule that my mind wouldn’t wander as much. The way things are though, eventually I’d have a bit of free time…and then I’d long for that sense of connection with family, friends, coworkers, acquaintances and God willing somebody to tuck me in at night. Is it required? No. I’m a big boy. I don’t need to live my life based on what other people think of me. Is it appreciated? Oh hell yes. It sure makes the day a lot easier when the workday is done that there’s somebody who gives two sh*ts about me. I guess the point is, check out this flick if you’d like, and live your life to the fullest. Don’t just sit around and wait for somebody to share it with. If they know what’s good for them, they’ll come to you. Just put yourself out there.

Prince Get Recognized - This month's BET Awards will be a royal affair: Prince is getting a lifetime achievement honor. The 52-year-old joins the likes of James Brown, Whitney Houston, Diana Ross and Reverend Al Green in being honored by the BET Awards, which will celebrate its 10th year in Los Angeles on June 27. BET says the Prince tribute will stand out. Stephen G. Hill, president of programming, music and specials for the network, said BET will celebrate the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer's "unique style." "Prince is dynamic. Prince is genius. Prince is music," Hill said of the performer, who has 10 platinum albums and 30 Top 40 singles to his name. The BET show will be hosted by Queen Latifah and include performances by Kanye West. Congratulations Prince!!! Being a HUGE fan of the Funk, I have to agree that I’m glad to see Prince get some recognition. I’m a little sorry that it took me 25 years to watch “Purple Rain” for the first time…but that was my loss. And the soundtrack is always in my mind. Classic songs throughout the years like “Kiss”, “Red Corvette”, “When Doves Cry”, “Nothing Compares to U”, “Let’s Go Crazy”, “1999”, the list goes on and on and on and on and… Just an incredible performer. Big ups for Prince Rogers Nelson!!! Representing Lake Minnetonka to the fullest!!!

Record Sculpture Sale - A sculpture by Italian artist Amedeo Modigliani has fetched 43.2 million euros ($52.6 million) at a Paris sale, an auction record for the artist (NOT overall) and the highest price paid for a work of art sold in France. The 65 cm (yes, as in about two feet) limestone work, entitled "Tete," (yes, that picture just to the left is THE sculpture) was executed in 1910-12 and was one of only around 10 Modigliani sculptures to be held privately, according to Christie's, which sold the piece. The artist is known to have created only 27 sculptures overall, and its rarity value, combined with booming values for top works of art, drove prices higher. "Our Paris sale results confirm a vigorous market in which collectors demonstrate an insatiable appetite for works of great rarity and excellence," said Anika Guntrum, head of Christie's impressionist and modern art department in Paris. Both Sotheby's and Christie's set world auction records this year, each selling a work of art for more than $100 million. The Modigliani was from the collection of Gaston Levy, which acquired the work in 1927. Don’t these people know we’re in a recession? Seriously, almost a million dollars per centimeter of sculpture? And it’s not even a record for the past year. I just don’t get art. It’s a lot like insurance. Apparently the only way to make money off it is to be dead…and you have to question anybody who says they understand it all. “No please, explain it to me. Explain to me first off why I paid so damn much for this painting…and then explain to me why my insurance doesn’t cover it because it was burned in a fire. I thought that would be specifically WHY I insured it.” Anyway, would you pay that much for it?

Doody Calls – Maybe if you find lots of money in the weirdest places you might consider splurging on art. This is why your mother says to wash your hands after handling money: A St. Louis sanitation worker (and fellow $teve) found $58 — packed in dog poop. Steve Wilson works for DoodyCalls Pet Waste Removal. On a recent call, he noticed money sticking out from the canine feces (or as we call in the profession Scrappy Doo). Wilson wasn't sure what to do (really?), but eventually pulled out the bills, sanitized them, placed them in a plastic zip-locked bag and returned them to the customer. It turned out to be $58. The company said the money was torn, but the serial numbers were identifiable (“Is that a 3 or an 8?” “It looks like dog sh*t to me”), which means the bills could be returned to a bank and replaced with new money. The Association of Professional Animal Waste Specialists (A-PAWS) says Wilson is the first person in his profession to find and report money in dog poop. I guess that puts him up there with Neil Armstrong. Congratulations, Steve! I hope you got a pat on the back for giving the owners their money back. “This money came from where? Ugh…why don’t you keep it?”

Crazy Lunch Lady - Police in Idaho think they might have solved a yearlong condiment crime spree. Authorities said a 74-year-old Boise woman arrested after pouring mayonnaise in the Ada County library's book drop box is a person of interest in at least 10 other condiment-related crimes. Joy L. Cassidy was picked up Sunday at the library, moments after police say she pulled through the outside drive-through and dumped a jar of mayo in the box designated for reading materials. Cassidy was released from jail and faces a misdemeanor charge of malicious injury to property (apparently that’s the legal term for book gooking). Boise police say Cassidy is under investigation for other cases of vandalism that started in May 2009. Library employees have reported finding books in the drop box covered in corn syrup and ketchup. Weird, right? Maybe that’s her way of critiquing the work. If it’s a great book, she might just give it back for redistribution. If it’s crap, then she turns it into a f**king sandwich. I doubt she has a blog…and doesn’t want to write on the inside cover “Don’t waste your time. The butler did it. The end.” Okay, I really don’t have a whole lot to go on in defending her other than she’s old…and lives in Idaho…and she kinda looks like the lady from Goonies. Now you know that next time you check out an erotic novel from the Boise Public Library, it really is mayonnaise and not an overzealous reader. Reading is fundamental, kids.

Just Weird – Yeah, didn’t know what else to title this one. A German student created a major traffic jam in Bavaria after making a rude gesture at a group of Hell's Angels motorcycle gang members. What did he do? He hurled a puppy at them and then escaping on a stolen bulldozer. German police said on Monday that after making his getaway from the Hell's Angels club, the 26-year-old dumped the bulldozer, causing a 5 km (3 miles) traffic jam near the southern town of Allershausen, local police said. He then fled to his home nearby where he was apprehended by the police. "What motivated him to throw a puppy at the Hell's Angels is currently unclear," said a spokesman for local police, adding that the student had lately been suffering from depression. So…maybe he was looking to be killed by the Hell’s Angels…but all he had as a weapon was…a puppy? And then had second thoughts about it? Oh…and the spokesperson added that the puppy was now in safe hands, so no worries there. They didn’t eat him or squish him like in a fetish video or anything. Yeah, just an overall weird story. Like first off, what the hell were Hell’s Angels doing in Germany? I was a little stumped from there. Forget the whole puppy tossing, bulldozer jacking, and running home like a little b**ch.

Fox Update – So remember a few months ago when Mickey Rourke said that Megan Fox was the greatest actress that he’s had the pleasure of working with (and then I kinda picked it apart but agreed with him). Well, Megan Fox has revealed that she has a new tattoo to honor actor Mickey Rourke. Fox, who stars alongside Rourke in her new movie “Passion Play” confessed she felt a bond with “The Wrestler” actor, so much so that she got inked as a tribute to him (and what a tribute it would be). The Jennifer's Body star told MTV: "Mickey is such a beautiful, wonderful human being. He's so genuine and so sweet and so talented. I just love him to death. I kept telling him that he needs to have kids, because I think he's going to be an amazing dad. I hope he does that soon." The actress, who recently quit her role in Transformers revealed: "I actually got a tattoo that is sort of in honor of him. It's on my ribs. I don't know if it's been photographed yet, but it'll come out eventually, I'm sure. I just love him very much and think he's very special." We wonder what Megan's fiancé Brian Austin Green would say about her new tattoo as Fox herself has claimed that she expects to marry him in the near future (and you all know where Brian’s name is tattooed on her body, right?). The 24-year old star told Access Hollywood: "I've been in this relationship for so long and I love Brian so much and of course marriage is in the future somewhere. I'm not closed to that idea. I just think, if you're going to get married, if you're going to be with someone and make a commitment, it's good to tell the universe, to say, 'I'm committing to this person and making them my family.' Fox added: "I think there's something respectable about that and if we were to do it, it would be for ourselves. It wouldn't be for society." Sigh…so anyway, she’s still on the market ‘til the deed is done. What’s that? THEY’RE ENGAGED AGAIN!!! Well, good for them. But yeah, a tattoo in honor of Mickey Rourke. Ain’t that some sh*t? Can’t wait to see it…though I’m sure it’s a fatherly symbol or gesture rather than his face or a motorcycle or an angel heart or something. It’s her body though. She can do with it whatever she wants. I got love for that. That’s why I got the Pootie Tang symbol on my beltline. Sah da tay…

Anyway, that’ll do it for today. Maybe I’ll go shoot some hoops since I don’t have a softball game this week. Or maybe I’ll just go walk around the neighborhood. It’s been a little chill today with a few showers here and there, so that perfect crisp clean feel is in the air that I love. I really do like it here. Why am I considering moving again? Damn career goals, they always mess everything up. Have a great day everybody!!!